"I had a nice time tonight, Jase. Thank you for dinner." Brenda smiled at
Jason as he shut the door behind them.
Jason nodded. "You're welcome." Jason had a good time tonight as well. Over the past month that Brenda had been in town, they spent a lot of time together and became close friends. He was enjoying having Brenda around. "Listen, Bren, I have some business to take care of. I have to leave in a little while and I won't be back until late tomorrow afternoon. You going to be okay by yourself?"
"Of course. I'm going to head up to bed now anyway, and tomorrow I'm spending the day with Ned and little Kristina."
"Alright. So I'll see you tomorrow night?"
She nodded and smiled. "Yep. Night, Jase. Be careful." She placed a kiss on his cheek headed upstairs. He followed her moments later to change and was headed out the door where he ran into Carly.
"Jason, I was just coming to see you."
"What's up?"
Carly crossed her arms across her chest. "How long is Brenda planning to stay with you?"
Jason sighed. "It hasn't been decided yet. Look, Carly, I have to go-"
"Jason, I don't want her here anymore."
"That's not up to you."
Carly looked at him incredulously. "Why is she here anyway? You can't stand her."
"That's not true." Jason reached over and pressed the button for the elevator.
"Oh my god. You've fallen in love with her haven't you?"
Jason groaned. Carly was always jumping to the wrong conclusions. "No, Carly, I'm not in love with Brenda."
"Then why doesn't she stay somewhere else?"
"Maybe because I like having her around." The bell announcing the arrival of the elevator rang.
Carly gave him a disgusted look. "What?"
The doors opened and Jason stepped in. "Look, she helps me forget about some of the pain, alright?"
"You saw them at the Grille together, Jason, do you really think it's a smart idea for her to be staying right across the hall?"
"Brenda isn't after Sonny, Carly."
"Jason, please-"
He interrupted her. "This isn't up to you. I have to go." The doors closed as Carly shook her head and stalked back into her penthouse.
She walked in and found Sonny at the bar fixing himself a drink.
"I'm going to head up. I'll see you in the morning."
Sonny looked at her and nodded. "Good night. Sleep well."
She smiled slightly and nodded, making her way upstairs.
Sonny stood in the living room, gulping down his drink. For the life of him he could not get Brenda off his mind. The look in her eyes when they sat together at the bar. He knew that his own eyes had matched hers at that moment. He knew was losing Carly more and more every day, but when he had looked into Brenda's eyes, every worry and care faded away. That's when he realized he was still in love with Brenda. He had really never stopped loving her, but he did love Carly and was committed to her. Now, things were different. His marriage seemed to be falling apart. Carly didn't love him and he was almost sure she loved Alcazar. He put down his empty glass and rubbed his hands across his face. On impulse, he headed out the door and across the hall. *~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~* *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~**~*~~ Brenda stepped out of her bathroom and was about to get into bed when she heard the loud knocking on the door.
She rushed down the stairs and swung open the door.
"You shouldn't open the door like that. You never know who could be on the other side."
She stepped aside to allow him in. "It was just you. Besides, there's no one out there trying to get me, Sonny."
He just nodded.
"What are you doing here?"
He shrugged. "I'm not really sure. Didn't get that far."
"You're not one to act on impulse." An amused smile played across her lips.
He grinned, dimples flaring. "I can't help myself with you."
Brenda closed her eyes briefly and turned away from him. "Go home to your wife, Sonny."
"Tell me something, Brenda." He paused and waited for her to face him. "Are you happy?"
She was taken aback. "What?"
"Are you happy, Brenda?"
She stared at him for a moment. "Of course I am. I finally got my life together. After all these years."
He nodded. "Do you ever feel like there's something missing?"
She shrugged and shook her head. "After everything I've been through, I've learned to be happy with what I have."
He nodded and rubbed his forehead. There was silence between them for a few moments. "You and Jason are pretty close now."
She cut in rather quickly. "It's not like that."
"I know. Jason would never do that to me." He paused. "You would never do that to me."
Brenda let out a small laugh. "You think you know me so well. We've been apart for 6 years, Sonny, I'm not that same person you used to know." She paused and watched him for a minute. "But you're right. I wouldn't do that to you."
He nodded and took a few steps around the room. "Were you happy with Jax?"
She sighed. "I really don't want to talk about Jax."
"Please answer the question, Brenda." His eyes were pleading with her. How could she resist?
"I loved Jax. I was ready to marry him and spend the rest of my life with him."
"But?"
She laughed slightly. "There's no 'but'."
"Yes there is." He stared at her intensely. She laughed uncomfortably. "And you think I don't know you?"
She held her hair away from her face and looked at him for a few moments. "I loved Jax. I truly did."
Sonny didn't take his eyes off of her. "I don't doubt that you did. He treated you like a princess, gave you everything you wanted, gave you safety and security." He paused and grinned. "But there's still a 'but'."
She sighed heavily. "I was ready to marry Jax and spend the rest of my life with him, but." she emphasized the last word and dragged it out. "But, it wasn't as passionate, or thrilling, or whole. Yes, I was happy, but I knew what it was like to be truly happy. And that wasn't how I felt with Jax."
Sonny walked over to where she was, closing the distance between them to mere inches. "I thought I was really happy with Carly. I mean, I was happy. I love her, and we have a family. But with everything that's going on right now, I've been thinking about things, things that I've never let myself think about before. You, mainly. And when we were at the Grille tonight, and I finally allowed myself to really look into your eyes, all of a sudden I didn't have a care in the world. I didn't care that my marriage was falling apart. That's how I realized that I'm still in love with you, Brenda."
Brenda stood before him, her mouth parted slightly in shock. Tears were glistening in her eyes. "Sonny."
Before she could finish, his mouth was on hers causing an electricity to surge through both of their bodies. Sonny kissed her with as much passion as he was capable of. He led her towards the couch and laid her gently upon it. They kissed passionately, completely enveloping themselves in each other for several minutes before Brenda pushed him away and stood up.
"I can't do this."
Sonny looked at her, breathing heavily. A look of shock, hurt and a hint of anger across his face.
Brenda walked over and sat down on the table in front of him. "Sonny, the moment I saw you that night at St. Timothy's I knew that I had finally put the past behind me. I had forgiven you for everything. I was just so glad to see you again. I knew at that moment that I loved you, that I had never stopped loving you."
"Then why are you pushing me away?"
"I love you, Sonny. And I don't want to hurt you. God knows how much I've hurt you in the past. I never want to hurt you again, Sonny. And by letting this go any farther, that's what I'd end up doing. This would tear apart your marriage, break up your family, everything you have wanted your whole life would be taken from you. And you would be devastated. It would be because of me, and I can't let that happen. That's why I can't do this."
Sonny held her face in his hands. "Brenda, I want this."
She reached up and removed his hand from her face, holding onto them tightly. "So do I, Sonny. But I will not let you betray your wife, break your vows, go against everything that you stand for."
Sonny kissed both of her hands. "I love you, Brenda."
She smiled. "I love you, Sonny. You know, you once left me to give me my life. I'm doing this to give you yours." She kissed him softly before standing. "You should go. Good night, Sonny."
He watched her proceed up the stairs before returning to his own penthouse.
Jason nodded. "You're welcome." Jason had a good time tonight as well. Over the past month that Brenda had been in town, they spent a lot of time together and became close friends. He was enjoying having Brenda around. "Listen, Bren, I have some business to take care of. I have to leave in a little while and I won't be back until late tomorrow afternoon. You going to be okay by yourself?"
"Of course. I'm going to head up to bed now anyway, and tomorrow I'm spending the day with Ned and little Kristina."
"Alright. So I'll see you tomorrow night?"
She nodded and smiled. "Yep. Night, Jase. Be careful." She placed a kiss on his cheek headed upstairs. He followed her moments later to change and was headed out the door where he ran into Carly.
"Jason, I was just coming to see you."
"What's up?"
Carly crossed her arms across her chest. "How long is Brenda planning to stay with you?"
Jason sighed. "It hasn't been decided yet. Look, Carly, I have to go-"
"Jason, I don't want her here anymore."
"That's not up to you."
Carly looked at him incredulously. "Why is she here anyway? You can't stand her."
"That's not true." Jason reached over and pressed the button for the elevator.
"Oh my god. You've fallen in love with her haven't you?"
Jason groaned. Carly was always jumping to the wrong conclusions. "No, Carly, I'm not in love with Brenda."
"Then why doesn't she stay somewhere else?"
"Maybe because I like having her around." The bell announcing the arrival of the elevator rang.
Carly gave him a disgusted look. "What?"
The doors opened and Jason stepped in. "Look, she helps me forget about some of the pain, alright?"
"You saw them at the Grille together, Jason, do you really think it's a smart idea for her to be staying right across the hall?"
"Brenda isn't after Sonny, Carly."
"Jason, please-"
He interrupted her. "This isn't up to you. I have to go." The doors closed as Carly shook her head and stalked back into her penthouse.
She walked in and found Sonny at the bar fixing himself a drink.
"I'm going to head up. I'll see you in the morning."
Sonny looked at her and nodded. "Good night. Sleep well."
She smiled slightly and nodded, making her way upstairs.
Sonny stood in the living room, gulping down his drink. For the life of him he could not get Brenda off his mind. The look in her eyes when they sat together at the bar. He knew that his own eyes had matched hers at that moment. He knew was losing Carly more and more every day, but when he had looked into Brenda's eyes, every worry and care faded away. That's when he realized he was still in love with Brenda. He had really never stopped loving her, but he did love Carly and was committed to her. Now, things were different. His marriage seemed to be falling apart. Carly didn't love him and he was almost sure she loved Alcazar. He put down his empty glass and rubbed his hands across his face. On impulse, he headed out the door and across the hall. *~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~* *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~**~*~~ Brenda stepped out of her bathroom and was about to get into bed when she heard the loud knocking on the door.
She rushed down the stairs and swung open the door.
"You shouldn't open the door like that. You never know who could be on the other side."
She stepped aside to allow him in. "It was just you. Besides, there's no one out there trying to get me, Sonny."
He just nodded.
"What are you doing here?"
He shrugged. "I'm not really sure. Didn't get that far."
"You're not one to act on impulse." An amused smile played across her lips.
He grinned, dimples flaring. "I can't help myself with you."
Brenda closed her eyes briefly and turned away from him. "Go home to your wife, Sonny."
"Tell me something, Brenda." He paused and waited for her to face him. "Are you happy?"
She was taken aback. "What?"
"Are you happy, Brenda?"
She stared at him for a moment. "Of course I am. I finally got my life together. After all these years."
He nodded. "Do you ever feel like there's something missing?"
She shrugged and shook her head. "After everything I've been through, I've learned to be happy with what I have."
He nodded and rubbed his forehead. There was silence between them for a few moments. "You and Jason are pretty close now."
She cut in rather quickly. "It's not like that."
"I know. Jason would never do that to me." He paused. "You would never do that to me."
Brenda let out a small laugh. "You think you know me so well. We've been apart for 6 years, Sonny, I'm not that same person you used to know." She paused and watched him for a minute. "But you're right. I wouldn't do that to you."
He nodded and took a few steps around the room. "Were you happy with Jax?"
She sighed. "I really don't want to talk about Jax."
"Please answer the question, Brenda." His eyes were pleading with her. How could she resist?
"I loved Jax. I was ready to marry him and spend the rest of my life with him."
"But?"
She laughed slightly. "There's no 'but'."
"Yes there is." He stared at her intensely. She laughed uncomfortably. "And you think I don't know you?"
She held her hair away from her face and looked at him for a few moments. "I loved Jax. I truly did."
Sonny didn't take his eyes off of her. "I don't doubt that you did. He treated you like a princess, gave you everything you wanted, gave you safety and security." He paused and grinned. "But there's still a 'but'."
She sighed heavily. "I was ready to marry Jax and spend the rest of my life with him, but." she emphasized the last word and dragged it out. "But, it wasn't as passionate, or thrilling, or whole. Yes, I was happy, but I knew what it was like to be truly happy. And that wasn't how I felt with Jax."
Sonny walked over to where she was, closing the distance between them to mere inches. "I thought I was really happy with Carly. I mean, I was happy. I love her, and we have a family. But with everything that's going on right now, I've been thinking about things, things that I've never let myself think about before. You, mainly. And when we were at the Grille tonight, and I finally allowed myself to really look into your eyes, all of a sudden I didn't have a care in the world. I didn't care that my marriage was falling apart. That's how I realized that I'm still in love with you, Brenda."
Brenda stood before him, her mouth parted slightly in shock. Tears were glistening in her eyes. "Sonny."
Before she could finish, his mouth was on hers causing an electricity to surge through both of their bodies. Sonny kissed her with as much passion as he was capable of. He led her towards the couch and laid her gently upon it. They kissed passionately, completely enveloping themselves in each other for several minutes before Brenda pushed him away and stood up.
"I can't do this."
Sonny looked at her, breathing heavily. A look of shock, hurt and a hint of anger across his face.
Brenda walked over and sat down on the table in front of him. "Sonny, the moment I saw you that night at St. Timothy's I knew that I had finally put the past behind me. I had forgiven you for everything. I was just so glad to see you again. I knew at that moment that I loved you, that I had never stopped loving you."
"Then why are you pushing me away?"
"I love you, Sonny. And I don't want to hurt you. God knows how much I've hurt you in the past. I never want to hurt you again, Sonny. And by letting this go any farther, that's what I'd end up doing. This would tear apart your marriage, break up your family, everything you have wanted your whole life would be taken from you. And you would be devastated. It would be because of me, and I can't let that happen. That's why I can't do this."
Sonny held her face in his hands. "Brenda, I want this."
She reached up and removed his hand from her face, holding onto them tightly. "So do I, Sonny. But I will not let you betray your wife, break your vows, go against everything that you stand for."
Sonny kissed both of her hands. "I love you, Brenda."
She smiled. "I love you, Sonny. You know, you once left me to give me my life. I'm doing this to give you yours." She kissed him softly before standing. "You should go. Good night, Sonny."
He watched her proceed up the stairs before returning to his own penthouse.